Computer systems continue to evolve, with ever faster processing speeds, greater data handling capabilities, and increasing storage capacity. Computers have also been steadily reduced in size. This size reduction is most apparent in the laptop, notebook, tablet and hand-held computer markets. While desiring to continuously decrease the size and weight of laptops, notebooks, and hand-held computers, manufacturers have also steadily reduced the size and weight of on-board batteries. Because battery-life in laptops, notebooks, and hand-held computers is such a strong consideration, power management methods are utilized to increase battery-life.
In conventional computer systems, a graphics processing unit (GPU), following instructions from a central processing unit (CPU), processes frames of display data that are subsequently sent to a display device. In one exemplary embodiment, the graphics processor, via an interface, supplies a next frame of display information to a timing controller of a display panel. In one embodiment, the display panel is refreshing at a 60 Hz rate. Therefore, approximately every 16.7 milliseconds a new frame of display information needs to be processed by the graphics processor and delivered to the display panel. Because a graphics processor may process a frame of display data faster than the exemplary 16.7 milliseconds between refreshes, the graphics processor may experience periods of idle time, where no display data remains to be processed, while the graphics processor continues running at its current clock rate.